Thursday, August 11, 2016

Thursday Reads

Obituary: Opera singer Patrice Munsel, 91, has died. She not only was well-known as an opera star, but she also appeared on television, movies, and commercials:

Munsel made headlines in 1943 when she won a contract with the Metropolitan Opera when she was just 17. The coloratura soprano had tied for first place in the Metropolitan Auditions of the Air, a competition that brought promising new singers into the Met's roster. Munsel would go on to become one of the Met's youngest stars when she debuted as Philine in "Mignon" later that year, receiving an enthusiastic standing ovation.

She would perform at the Met hundreds of times over the next decade and a half, her notable roles including Rosina in "The Barber of Seville," Adele in "Die Fledermaus," and Despina in "Cosi fan Tutte." For her final Met performance in 1958, she played Mimi in "La Boheme."

She had a variety show in the 1950s. Here is the broadcast with guest Tony Bennett, who himself is older than dirt: